Public drug programs provide drug coverage for a specific population. Federal, provincial and territorial governments offer many different drug programs, most of which have defined criteria for eligibility that include things like age, income, conditions or diseases, or drug costs.
This page gives you an overview of the programs available and their eligibility criteria. It helps you understand program differences so you can interpret data about drug use and spending, and make comparisons.
See the Formulary coverage page for details about the drugs included in each program’s formulary.
Note: An asterisk identifies programs that do not submit data to CIHI’s NPDUIS.
| Jurisdiction | Program group | Programs | Benefit information | Eligibility criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Brunswick | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | NB Drug Plans — Cystic Fibrosis | Eligible cystic fibrosis drugs |
Residents with a valid Medicare card who are diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and are not covered for cystic fibrosis drugs by any other drug plan. |
| New Brunswick | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | NB Drug Plans — Growth Hormone Deficiency | Eligible growth hormone deficiency drugs |
Residents under the age of 19 with a valid Medicare card who are diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency and are not covered for growth hormone drugs by any other drug plan. |
| New Brunswick | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | NB Drug Plans — HIV/AIDS | Antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) |
Residents with a valid Medicare card who are diagnosed with HIV infection and have been registered in the plan by a physician. |
| New Brunswick | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | NB Drug Plans — Multiple Sclerosis | Eligible multiple sclerosis (MS) drugs |
Residents with a diagnosis of MS who have a valid Medicare card and a neurologist's prescription for eligible drugs covered under the MS plan. |
| New Brunswick | High-cost/expensive drugs for rare diseases | NB Drug Plans — Organ Transplant Recipients | Eligible anti-rejection drugs |
Residents with a valid Medicare card who have received a solid organ or bone marrow transplant and are not covered for anti-rejection drugs by any other drug plan. |
| New Brunswick | Children’s drug plans | NB Drug Plans — Children in the Care of the Minister of Social Development and Special Needs Children | Prescription drugs for eligible children |
Children in the care of the minister of Social Development, and special needs children. |
| New Brunswick | Disease management, control and prevention | Public Health Plan | Publicly funded vaccines, testing and drug therapies |
Residents who meet the eligibility criteria for the vaccines, testing and drug therapies included in the program. |
| New Brunswick | Disease management, control and prevention | New Brunswick Tuberculosis (TB) Drug Plan | Drugs for the treatment of active or latent tuberculosis infection |
Any individual (regardless of permanent residence) who has active or latent tuberculosis infection. |
| New Brunswick | Other | Extra-Mural Program | Home and community-based health care services to residents of all ages |
Residents receiving extra-mural services who do not have drug coverage from any other drug plan and have been provided with a prescription drug authorization form. |
| New Brunswick | Other | Medical Abortion Program | Drugs used for medical abortions. |
Residents who have a valid Medicare card. |